HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-09-12 KCDP Minutes DraftMitchell D. Roth Mayor
Lee E. Lord
Managing Director
Zendo Kern Director
Jeffrey W. Darrow
Deputy Director
County of Hawai‘i
PLANNING DEPARTMENT
KONA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN ACTION COMMITTEE
Aupuni Center • 101 Pauahi Street, Suite 3 • Hilo, Hawai‘i 96720
Phone (808) 961-8288 • Fax (808) 961-8742
Hawai‘i County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer Page 1
Tuesday, September 12, 2023 1
DRAFT Meeting Minutes 2
CALL TO ORDER 3
Committee Member Charles Young facilitated the Kona Community Development Plan (KCDP) 4
Action Committee (AC) meeting. The meeting was called to order at 5:06 P.M. This meeting was 5
held online via Zoom, and in person at the West Hawaiʻi Civic Center Planning Department 6
Conference Room. 7
The YouTube video of this meeting can be found here: 8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_1iCCxtivc 9
ROLL CALL 10
AC Members Present: Charles Young (via Zoom), Nancy Pisicchio, John D. Pelletier, Gary Jaster, 11
Zarine Dorabji, David Huerta (via Zoom), and Heather Korotie 12
AC Members Absent-Excused: Marisa Bankston, Roselyn Molina 13
County Staff: Planners – Bethany Morrison, Maryam Palma, Janice Hata 14
County Officials: Deputy Corporation Counsel, Suzanna Tiapula 15
Members of the public: 8 16
ANNOUNCEMENTS: 17
1. Kona CDP Action Committee Welcome New Members 18
2. The Action Committee is seeking a volunteer Secretary to take meeting notes and 19
collaborate with the Planning Department accordingly. Any interested parties should email 20
cdp@hawaiicounty.gov. AC Member Nancy Pisicchio offered to use a Microsoft 365 program 21
to transcribe the recorded file of the meeting into a text document and create a summary of 22
the minutes of the meeting. AC Member David Huerta commented that Zoom has a 23
transcription program that is part of the software, therefore eliminating the need to export a 24
file. Charles Young pointed out that the minutes do not have to be verbatim, but they really 25
do have to capture the spirit of the content of the discussion and to be accurate in terms of 26
who makes motions, who seconds the motion, and the final vote. Corp. Council agreed but 27
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she added that speakers need to identify themselves for the record. This includes members 28
of the public not sitting at the table. In addition, Corp. Council pointed out that she can only 29
hear the people who are at the table, the people farther away cannot be heard through the 30
speakers. 31
3. General Plan Update: Bethany Morrison, Long Range Planner with the County of Hawaii 32
provided a brief update on where we are on the General Plan comprehensive review. 33
Recently a press release has come out that details the various things that we're doing to 34
reach out into the community and make sure that the Action Committee has an opportunity 35
to participate in this update. The Planning Department hosted a recorded video series on the 36
planning YouTube channel. The PD will also be doing public informational workshops. One is 37
scheduled for September 30th. It will be here at West Hawaii Civic Center from 2:00 to 4:00. 38
Other opportunities for sharing the new GP draft with the public include roadshow 39
presentations where community groups can invite staff to their already regular meetings. 40
There will also be informational booths at various planned Community events. Workshops, 41
which are similar to the public informational workshops for those that cannot attend in 42
person, there will be a Zoom webinar option there. The General Plan is our comprehensive 43
long-range document for our county. It guides infrastructure decisions and land use 44
decisions. Everything we do has to be consistent with that plan. 45
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: 46
Committee Member Nancy Pisicchio moved to approve the July 25, 2023 minutes. Motion 47
seconded by Committee Member John Pelletier. Motion passed with 6 votes aye, 0 votes nay. 48
BUSINESS: 49
1. Chapter 5.3 Implementation Matrix: 50
Discussion to initiate a status update of the items within the matrix. Consider top priority 51
community actions the AC may want to move forward and the potential creation of 52
respective permitted interaction groups. The matrix can be found on pages 163 - 172 of the 53
Kona CDP. This agenda item was suggested by Committee member Zarine Dorabji. Zarine 54
was questioning the current status of action items that appear in the Matrix. She asked, for 55
example, whether the Kona Mauka Watershed Partnership has been formed yet. Committee 56
members suggested there is a need to go through the Matrix and identify things we want to 57
work on, and what has been done so we can get a sense of where the AC could have the 58
most impact. It was suggested that the previous Meeting Minutes be reviewed to identify 59
priorities that have been identified by the Committee in the past and not to “reinvent the 60
wheel”. A five-year look back through the Minutes was suggested. The Minutes would also 61
include letters from the AC Members to the Planning Director that identified priorities. The 62
Committee members discussed the need to go through the Matrix and identify things we 63
want to work on, just what has been done and what so we can get a sense of what, where 64
we could have the most impact. 65
Charles Young also suggested that the new County Climate Change Plan also be reviewed in 66
the process of reviewing the Kona CDP Matrix. It was suggested that the possibility of 67
forming a Permitted Interaction Group to look at the Climate Change Plan could be added to 68
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the next meeting’s Agenda. Heather Korotie expressed an interest in the idea. The new 69
Permitted Interaction Group could make recommendations with respect to implementation 70
of the matrix and any additional needs that any additional needs might be related to the 71
Climate Change Plan. 72
2. Kealakehe Regional Park: 73
Discussion and potential creation of a permitted interaction group to follow and support this 74
project. This agenda item was suggested by Committee member John Pelletier. The 75
Kealakehe Regional Park is identified in the KCDP Implementation Matrix as Policy PUB-6.2 76
(a). John explained that the West Hawaii Parks and Athletic Corporation has been trying to 77
move this park project forward. He explained a desire to determine what we can do to help. 78
He would like to create a Permitted Interaction Group to investigate where we're at and try 79
to move this project forward. The park is mapped out, but currently, there is nothing there. 80
The AC voted to form a Kealakehe Regional Park Subcommittee with John Pelletier 81
representing the AC on the new Subcommittee. The motion was made by Committee member 82
Nancy Pisicchio, seconded by Heather Korotie. Motion passed with 6 votes aye, 0 votes nay. 83
3. Permitted Interaction Groups (PIG): 84
The existing groups will provide updates, reports, or discussions and may vote to close any 85
PIGs as needed. 86
o Community Outreach: 87
Open nominations: Corp. Council explained that the AC needs to establish who's going 88
to be on the committee in this meeting or in a public meeting. She reminded the AC 89
members that there is a limitation of four AC members and that those four need to be 90
articulated in the meeting. After that, other members of the public may join the 91
Permitted Interaction Group. It was agreed that Nancy Pisicchio, John D. Pelletier, 92
Zarine Dorabji, and Heather Korotie will be members of the new Community Outreach 93
Subcommittee. 94
A member of the public raised the issue that the Commission he serves on with the 95
county, Department has Staff serves to generate Community Outreach. He stated that 96
the Police Department has a Community Outreach officer. He recommended that the 97
Planning Department should have a community outreach person. 98
o Flood Mitigation and Erosion Control: 99
The AC Committee currently has no members on the Flood Mitigation and Erosion 100
Control Subcommittee. It was recommended that it be closed out. Charles Young 101
stated that he doesn’t think the subcommittee actually met so there is nothing on the 102
record. It officially doesn't exist. The AC can re-agendize it later if the committee 103
decides to bring it back for later discussion. In that case, as new Subcommittee would 104
have to reform with a new purpose and new members. 105
o Kona Open Space Network (KOSN): 106
of the Subcommittee, Kari Kimura summarized the written report that was submitted 107
to the AC. The lead consultant under contract with the County is Jacob Engineering. The 108
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project leader is Christian Nishimura. The Planning Department is the lead agency. 109
County Planning Department Staff Natasha Soriano is the project leader. About 80 to 110
100 people came to the Old Kona Airport Pavilion for the KOSN Kick Off open house. 111
Subcommittee Janice Palma suggested that we need to have those concepts of smart 112
growth that are in the Plan such as TOD’s and somehow have them a part of the open 113
space network are the green belts. 114
Kari Kimura stated that the Subcommittee will come back to the AC periodically just to 115
keep everyone updated. 116
Charlie Young commended Kari, Janice, and Shirley for their commitment to getting this 117
project to where it is. 118
AC Member Nancy Pisicchio had been nominated to represent the KOSN 119
Subcommittee. Kari Kimura suggested that three AC Members serve on the KOSN 120
Subcommittee as had been the case when Kari, Shirley David, and Janice Palma had 121
served on the KOSN Subcommittee before stepping down as AC Members. 122
A question was raised regarding how new community members are able to join a 123
Subcommittee. The recommendation was that this should be decided by the 124
Subcommittee members. 125
Nomination of new AC members to KOSN Subcommittee. 126
Committee Member John Pelletier moved to add Nancy Pisicchio, John Pelletier, and 127
Gary Jaster to the KOSN Subcommittee. The motion was seconded by Committee 128
member Gary Jaster. Motion passed with 6 votes aye, 0 votes nay. 129
o Public Access, Open Space, Natural Resources (PONC): 130
There currently is no Public Access, Open Space, Natural Resources (PONC) 131
Subcommittee. 132
4. Action Committee Meeting Strategy: 133
The Action Committee will discuss the meeting cadence schedule, logistics, and format of 134
future meetings such as if they should be all in-person or hybrid Zoom/in-person. 135
It was pointed out that Staff needs to participate in order to provide the option for Zoom 136
participation. For the in-person meeting format, AC members can run the meetings 137
themselves and keep meeting Minutes. The draft Minutes are sent to Staff to complete. A 138
number of individuals also pointed out that the use of Zoom increases the chances that 139
people are unable to hear the discussions. 140
AC Members raised the point that in-person meetings are preferable, but that providing the 141
opportunity to participate via Zoom was practical. Members stated that they can commit to 142
attending meetings if Zoom participation is an option. Without providing for Zoom 143
participation, it may be difficult to get a quorum. It was agreed to continue running hybrid 144
Zoom/in-person meetings. 145
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Regarding the schedule for future meetings, Staff pointed out that to provide the opportunity 146
for Zoom, the room should be reserved a month in advance. The AC Members discussed 147
whether to schedule monthly meetings or to continue holding meetings every other month. 148
These meetings would be held on the third Tuesday of the month, from 5:00 pm until 7:00 149
pm. 150
PROPOSED AGENDA ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING: 151
1. Nancy Pisicchio requested that Community Outreach be included on the agenda. 152
2. John Pelletier requested that Kealakehe Regional Park be included on the agenda. 153
3. A discussion of Kona CDP Action Priorities was suggested to be included on the agenda 154
4. Gary Jaster suggested that KOSN be included. 155
5. Charlie Young asked that a General Plan Update be included in the Community Outreach 156
report. 157
The next meeting was set for November 28, 2023. 158
ADJOURNMENT: 159
Without objection, Committee Member Young adjourned the meeting at 6:38 P.M. 160
These minutes and all related documents are available in the Planning Department’s Kona 161
Community Development Plan Action Committee folder via the County of Hawaiʻi Public 162
Documents Repository. These documents may also be requested from the Planning Department 163
by calling (808) 961-8288 or emailing cdp@hawaiicounty.gov. 164